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Walk in my shoes. Remember?“Walk in my (their) shoes.”—a common phrase most of us haveused or, more likely, thought to ourselves at some point. “If so and so couldonly walk for one day in my shoes…” When it comes to working with adolescents,I have found that my most successful mom...﻿

“Walk in my (their) shoes.”—a common phrase most of us have used or, more likely, thought to ourselves at some point. “If so and so could only walk for one day in my shoes…” When it comes to working with adolescents, I have f...

New Hunters and Gatherers Formillennia, those we now term “adolescents” transitioned into an adult workingculture in a fairly natural way. Boys in hunting cultures would begin huntingsmall game, girls would begin working in the kitchen or managing the household,a...﻿

For millennia, those we now term “adolescents” transitioned into an adult working culture in a fairly natural way. Boys in hunting cultures would begin hunting small game, girls would begin working in the kitc...

GratitudeWith Thanksgiving kicked to the curb this week in favor ofBlack Friday (and I don’t really know what to call the sales that started at3:00 on Thanksgiving), it seems appropriate to consider the theme of gratitudeas it applies to young people. There is a ...﻿

With Thanksgiving kicked to the curb this week in favor of Black Friday (and I don’t really know what to call the sales that started at 3:00 on Thanksgiving), it seems appropriate to consider the theme of gratitude as it appl...

Hi, and welcome to my blog. I would like to be able to say that I am a writer, but most of what I write either stays in my head, mulling over and over or makes it into a file on my computer, in its partially completed form. Periodically it gets published but only for reading in very select circles. In my blog I begin by admitting my state of being a recovering non-reader--I definitely have learned more in my last 20 years than I did during my formal education years. I think this is part of what pulls me into studying and philosophizing about learning in the adolescent years in particular.

I have been in education for over 20 years now, having worked with all ages from kindergarten to college. 2014 I will celebrate 25 years of marriage to my lovely wife, Summer, who has been an encourager to me through my successes and my darkest times. The year will also bring the entry of my second daughter into teen-hood. That makes for 13 and 14. Though I like to think of myself as a student of adolescents (who could actually be an expert) parenting is a wild card that strips you of any pride in your accomplishments because your children will always keep you tethered to the reality that we bear that blasted human condition.

Most of my blog will focus on what I am presently reading with an attempted connection to life in general. While I am definitely not a comedian, I am told by my mom that I am English. With that heritage, most of my humor will be tainted with sarcasm and a very subtle wink and nudge. If anything sounds offensive, please think of the wink and nudge and hopefully that will remove any thought of, "This guy's a crazy."